


Prince Castiel and the Invasion Plot

by b_ann



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Canonical Character Death, Crossdressing Castiel, Espionage, F/M, Indentured Servant Dean, Indentured Servant Sam, Librarian Castiel, M/M, Mercenary Dean, Mercenary Sam, Minor Character Death, Prince Castiel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 09:55:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3806152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_ann/pseuds/b_ann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To unite two kingdoms, the newly crowned King Michael forces his youngest brother, Prince Castiel  to marry Princess Bella.  Going incognito to secretly get to know his future bride, Castiel has a chance meeting with Dean Winchester who was accompanying the Princess' entourage.  Together they discover a plot to overthrow the kingdom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prince Castiel and the Invasion Plot

**Author's Note:**

> Ooooh my gosh, you guys! I am so so sorry it's taken me this long to post something new. I promise I'm almost done with the next Vets Might Fly chapter. Late nights at work, being sick, dealing with my brother's wedding and a new guy in my life has been all encompassing. Things should calm down after this next week!
> 
> But thank you, thank you, thank you for all the comments, kudos, bookmarks and subscriptions! The response has been overwhelming and I love it!!
> 
> Also, I wanted to send a big wet kiss to kelly42fox. It had been years since we had written anything together and I'm so glad we've picked it up again. There's nothing like having a like minded friend who has known your writing style since you were 9 years old knock ideas around with you and be able to borrow, steal, relinquish and critique pieces!

Michael sighed heavily and sunk further into his furs as the balcony doors were thrown open. The scent of newly blooming flowers on the grounds below filled the room but it wasn’t enough to stop the foreboding.

“Michael,” it was the soft chastising of his mother, only it was off. Too young. Anna. “Dear brother, how would it look to your new subjects if you are late for your own coronation?” 

Michael pulled the blankets down to his bare chest and rubbed his chin where his beard was starting to grow yet again. “They would probably begin to wonder how much my brother is actually advising me.” There was no need to name which brother was in question, Anna knew it was Lucifer. It was perhaps an unfortunate sir name, but it fit him well. For years he had sat on the right hand of the King as his Commander of Armies. He was the most serious of the four brothers, the darkest in complexion as well as manner, but he commanded respect with just his presence and Michael knew he would continue to welcome his influence, just like his father did before him.

There were times, especially at that moment, where Michael wondered if the crown should have fallen to him instead. But just like all of the generations before him, it was the eldest son who was burdened with the title of King. And that was Michael. It wasn't like he was unprepared. From the moment of birth he was being molded to one day take on the throne. That day had finally come.

Anna sat on the bed next to Michael. “You will do just fine, and Lucifer’s influence has been well met. You should listen to his advice.”

“I always have.”

“Except when he advises you be awake and dressed by this hour.”

Anna and Michael’s attention turned to the bedroom door. “Speak of the devil,” Michael chuckled.

Lucifer didn’t respond to the jab, he instead turned to Anna, “Please make sure he is dressed and in my chambers within the half hour.” And then he was gone just as swiftly as he arrived.

“Someone needs to inform him that our time of mourning was only to last a month.”

It was Anna’s turn to sigh and she finally stood. Michael followed, begrudgingly, slipping into the robe hanging beside his bed. “The kingdom was forced into mourning for a month, you and I both know it is going to take longer than that for us to recover, especially Lucifer.”

"He was always closer to father than I was."

"Stop. Right now." Anna was directly in front of him in an instant. Her head was upturned so she could look into his eyes. She was more than a head shorter than he was but Michael couldn't help but feel chastised. "You are the rightful King. You are strong and brave and intelligent and kind and fair. You, not Lucifer, not Gabriel, not Castiel, you were meant to be King and there is no one more suited. So from this moment on, there will be no more second guessing. The instant you walk out of these chambers you will be the King of Empyrean and your rule will be long and magnificent."

She placed her hands on either of his shoulders and he slouched under the weight of her words.

"You, are my King.”

He didn’t cry, hadn’t since he was a boy, but at that moment he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. She chose that moment to wrap her arms around him and he returned the hug immediately.

“And I love you.”

“I love you too, little sister,” Michael said into her hair.

When she pulled away from him she had a mischievous grin. “Besides, when have you ever known me to be wrong?”

Michael laughed a deep hearty laugh and it was just what he needed.

“Now, hurry up!” she said swatting his hind end, “there’s no need for Lucifer to be angry at both of us!”

***

Lucifer stood between Castiel and Gabriel at the coronation and tried desperately to ignore Gabriel when he once again sang his own version of the national song. Something about his genitles. He would never change. Lucifer was relieved, not for the first time, that Gabriel was the third in line for the throne.

It wasn't that he was unintelligent, actually quite the opposite. There was a very good chance Gabriel was the brightest of all the siblings. But his idea of a good use of that intelligence was talking his way into the beds of the better looking handmaidens and stealing sweets from the kitchens.

He was obscenely good at getting himself out of trouble, however, more often than not, he was responsible for said trouble in the first place. But it was that quality that ensured him a place beside the throne and that no one murdered him in his sleep. Not that the thought had crossed Lucifer's mind. Ever.

Unlike the rest if his siblings, Gabriel never fulfilled his intended role. Spiritual Leader was a laughable title for him. Not that he even had the training to pull it off. He had refused continuing his ... conditioning, after their-- after he turned a certain age, and never picked it up again.

It was unfortunate that Castiel was the youngest and couldn't provide one more buffer between Gabriel and the throne. Castiel always took his duties seriously. Academia was like second nature for the youngest prince and he embraced it wholeheartedly. He'd learned everything required of him, defense, etiquette, terms of state, as they all had, but he had a passion for books and knowledge. He knew four languages, past their own and the common tongue, by the time he was twelve. He was an apprentice to the castle healer at thirteen. By his seventeenth birthday his knowledge could rival most of the state scientists, and at his current age of twenty he ran the state library. Although despite his dedication, which far outweighed that of Gabriel, he didn't have the poise and social decorum that would befit a king.

No, Michael was the appropriate brother to wear the crown. Michael stood to address the congregation and even Gabriel managed to at least look like he was regarding his new king with rapt attention. He was eloquent in his speech and promised the court of nobles and the kingdom that he'd follow in his father's footsteps to further their prosperity. Lucifer was the first to kneel before him and pledge his loyalty, followed by Gabriel and then Castiel.

Finally, the priest prayed over their new King and placed the crown atop his head. Now, if they could just keep Gabriel from doing something embarrassing at the feast.

***

Another roar of laughter rose from the opposite end of the banquet hall. Castiel didn't even bother looking up from his book. Michael had snuck away hours ago, and Castiel was slightly bitter that he was not allowed to escape the inebriated antics of the court as well. Luckily, after a bit of prodding that got him nowhere, Gabriel, very loudly and slurring his words a bit announced that the youngest prince was no fun at all and he had been mercifully left alone from that point.

Up until right at that moment.

Castiel sighed and peeled his attention from his book, but he very pointedly didn't look at the figures that sat on either side of him. Both far too close for comfort.

"Cassie, darling, what are you doing down here all by yourself?" Sir Balthazar was the closest thing to a friend Castiel had. They had grown up together, sort of. He was closer to Lucifer’s age than Castiel’s, but for some reason Balthazar had decided to take the young prince under his wing. Castiel figured it was because of all the boys their age, he was the only one who could even remotely put up with his … exuberance. He was similar to Gabriel in that way, which was probably why his older brother couldn’t stand the knight. There could only be one center of the universe.

“Balthazar,” it was a condescending tone and Castiel knew it. “Shouldn’t you be trying to charm someone into your bed?”

“Ooo, are you offering?” he asked waggling his eyebrows and rubbing his shoulder against Castiel.

Castiel finally turned to the man to his left. It was a long running joke to Balthazar. Not a very funny joke, and if ever he felt Castiel was at all interested, he would be dead serious in an instant. Balthazar had never been picky. When Castiel didn’t rise to the bait, Balthazar leaned forward to get a better look at his squire on Castiel’s right.

“What about you Alfie? Care to warm my bed for the night?”

“In your dreams,” Alfie responded with the sweetest smile either man had ever seen.

Balthazar laughed heartily and took a long swig of his drink. He set it down with far more force than was necessary. “There, I have completed the requisite attempts to find a bed partner.”

“Yes,” Alfie said, trying to hide a smirk, “now everything is right with the world.”

Balthazar flashed them both the most charming of his smiles and Castiel knew how it was difficult for many to refuse such charm. But his face fell just as quickly as it rose, and he was suddenly serious.

“Have you seen King Michael since the beginning of the feast?”

Castiel frowned. “I have not.”

Balthazar and Alfie both leaned forward, bringing their heads closer to Castiel. “It was Zacharia and Uriel who pulled him away.”

That wasn’t anything to get too excited over. “There was most likely some business they had to attend to,” Castiel argued, suddenly wanting them to be gone so he could continue to read.

“Without Lucifer?” Alfie asked and all three of the men turned their attention to the other side of the hall. Sure enough, Lucifer was still present, sipping slowly at his drink and he didn’t look happy. But that may have had less to do with Michael’s absence and more with Gabriel’s singing.

“I’m just saying it was odd,” Balthazar supplied. Just then one of Anna’s hand maidens caught Balthazar’s eye and shot him a smile that could only be considered salacious. “But I’m sure it’s nothing we need to deal with tonight,” he said never taking his eye off his target. He downed the rest of his drink and was on his feet. “I take it back, I have one more attempt to make to fill my quota.” And he was gone.

Castiel and Alfie sighed at the same time.

***

It had been three days since Michael was named King and it was the first big move with the power the title provided. It was the right decision. That’s what he kept telling himself, so there was no reason for him to be nervous. He sat behind the large desk in the King’s private office, situated behind the lofty and gilded throne room, waiting for his family to arrive. The conference room was generally preferred for summons like this, as it was warm and plush, but he knew what he had to discuss could be met with resistance and for some reason the privacy of this room felt like the better choice of locale.

Michael heard the first of his brothers approach before he even entered the room. Raucous laughter and giggles of handmaidens echoed down the stone corridor outside. The large door swung open violently to reveal Prince Gabriel, accompanied by no less than three young ladies.

A devious smirk formed on Gabriel's face as he leaned in to the young ladies, whispering something, no doubt lecherous, to dismiss them from his side. Giggles were their response, and they scampered back down the hallway. It was only then that Gabriel turned to focus his gold, shining eyes on his brother.

“Hey, Bro!” Gabriel greeted Michael, as he made his way into the room.

The door had yet to swing closed when a second figure appeared in the doorway, using his booted foot to keep it from swinging closed in his face.

“He's your King now, Gabriel,” Lucifer chastised from the door. There was a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. “Treat him with respect.”

Lucifer was upset for being left out of the recent meetings with the heads and Michael knew it. Gabriel frowned at his older brother as he strode into the room. He was about to react, when Michael did for him, trying to diffuse the tension before it built, “Lucifer,” there was a small upturn of his lips and a hint of amusement in his voice. “If father couldn't contain him, what makes you think that I can? I am still the same person, after all.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel said brightly and gestured a bow at Michael as he sank into a plush couch opposite the King’s desk.

Lucifer simply scoffed as he leaned against the wall, not bothering to be close to his brothers. Yes, he was very upset.

The room had just settled into a comfortable silence when the door opened again. This time it was given the proper care and pushed slowly and gracefully. A shock of long red hair and a simple, yet elegant, blue gown were revealed. The charming face of their only sister beamed at the three men in the room.

Michael and Gabriel both stood and Lucifer even pushed himself off the wall to stand straight. No matter their differences, it was clear that all three brothers were fond of her.

“Anna,” Michael smiled.

“Hey, Anna,” Gabriel grinned and moved over to offer her the closer end of the couch. “You've been busy. Haven't seen you in a while.”

Anna simply smiled and placed a hand on her brother's, knowing that the reality was that all of them had been keeping their distance, dealing with their loss and the new shift in power in their own way. Gabriel dove head first into piles of sweets, vats of ale, and harems of women. She glanced at the other two brothers, quickly sizing them up, assessing how they were coping. Michael hoped they were doing a better job at it.

“So,” Gabriel said, turning to his brother, as Michael took his seat again, “Should we get started?” He was eager to get back to his debauchery.

Anna laughed quietly, but there was a bit of melancholy in it. “One is still missing, Gabriel,” she said softly. She was always the one looking out for the youngest of the brothers, especially after their mother died when he was so young. She had a special place in her heart for him, a mother's care.

“Oh, right,” Gabriel said loudly. “Where is that shrimp?”

“He will be here,” Michael said, with a bit of scolding. “You do need to learn patience, Gabriel.”

A fumbling against the door caught all of their attention, and they turned to see their youngest sibling trip into the room. His dark hair was a mess, and his bright blue eyes were glued to the pages of an enormous tome. He steadied himself unconsciously and pushed the door the rest of the way open. It wasn't a surprise to any of the others to see him in this state.

“Castiel,” Anna called the youngest to get his attention. It roused him from the passage he was absorbed in. He looked up to see her smiling fondly. His brothers wore dubious expressions.

“One of these days you're going to walk right off the edge of one of the battlements if you keep that up,” Gabriel said to his youngest.

Castiel's eyebrows knit together. It wasn't the first time they'd commented on his tendency to read as he walked. 

“Not before you drown in a vat of ale,” he shot back playfully. Gabriel was obnoxious and liked to play pranks, but Castiel was actually very fond of him and it was obvious.

Gabriel threw his head back and laughed. “Too true, Little Brother, too true.”

Castiel plopped down in the armchair that Lucifer had neglected. He held the tome tightly in his lap, and turned to Michael, nodding at him. It was still surreal that their father was gone, and Michael was sitting in his chair instead of donning a seat amongst his siblings.

“I've called you all here for a very important reason,” Michael spoke, in a manner much more serious than usual, and it somehow felt ominous even to himself. Each of his siblings bristled in their own way as if they knew that something earth shattering was about to come. None of them spoke, so the King continued. “As you all know, Father began trade with several other kingdoms a number of years ago. Many of these endeavors have been forthcoming and prosperous for Empyrean. Before his passing, he was in the final stages of negotiating a trade deal with Erebos.”

At that, Lucifer looked up from the spot on the rug that he'd been staring at with disinterest. His eyes narrowed at Michael. “You can't be serious...”

“I am.”

“Those parasites are not above back door dealings, blackmail, or full on invasion. Tell me you're not going through with this, Michael...”

“I am, and it's done,” Michael glanced around at his other siblings, faces showing only mild concern, before once again meeting Lucifer's icy stare. “Representatives are already on the way. We have the esteemed honor of hosting Queen Lilith, Princess Bella, and Sir Crowley to complete negotiations.”

Michael broke his death stare with Lucifer, to address his sister, even though he could still feel his brother's eyes boring into his skull. “Anna, I'm sure I don't need to ask you to get everything ready. They will be here in approximately five days time.”

Anna nodded, but concern was beginning to cloud her features.

Michael took a breath to continue, but paused for another before he continued. He couldn't delay the most scandalous bit of the deal any longer. “You will need to prepare for an engagement party.”

The reaction was instant. Lucifer pushed himself off the wall and took two steps forward. Anna's eyes grew large. Gabriel pushed himself forward in his seat, now mirroring Lucifer's icy stare. Castiel, poor Castiel, just tilted his head to the side, eyebrows knit. He was the one who spoke, his innocence and naivete spilling out in front of all his siblings, making the situation ten times more difficult. “For whom?”

Michael sighed and looked at his youngest brother. A hint of pity flickered across his features, but it was gone in an instant. He was standing by his decision. “For you, Castiel. For you.”

The room erupted.

Gabriel and Anna were on their feet, and Lucifer was next to the desk in an instant. His fist slammed against the perfectly smoothed wood. The three of them spoke at once. It was a cacophony of anger and disbelief. The torrent grew to near a tirade, and Michael just sat, staring blankly at the three, in an attempt to keep himself from retaliating.

The three siblings were so busy chastising their older brother that they left Castiel sitting in the chair, secure under his tome, shock and fear littering his features. His blue eyes were wide. Finally, after a minute the torrent of panic and anger in his mind focused down to one word. “Why?” he said with a quiet force, that made his deepening voice sound gruff.

It was his simple response that pulled Anna from the fray, which halted the other brothers as well. She'd heard Castiel's simple question, and he sounded like a wounded animal. She moved over to him, knelt down next to him, and put a hand on his knee. She looked into his emotion filled eyes and back at the king.

“Yes, Michael,” Anna spoke, venom in her voice. “I do think you owe him that much. Why? Why is this necessary? This was not required with any of the other trade deals.”

Michael stood. “Castiel, you are the same age as the princess and the fourth in line. Logically, you were the right choice.”

“And his loss is least detrimental to your reign,” Lucifer added, snide.

Michael shot Lucifer a scathing glare before continuing, “Erebos is very protective of their natural resources, and some long term assurances are required.”

“Are those your words or Crowley's?” Lucifer continued to chastise his brother.

“Does it matter?” Michael shot back at Lucifer.

“It does when the safety of our kingdom comes into play. I don't see this as a good deal, Michael. You're making a deal with a demon.”

“I don't see it that way. I'm following our father's will. Regardless, the deal is done. They're on their way. I expect you all to be on your best behavior and welcome our guests.”

Lucifer growled and strode from the room, slamming the door against it's hinges on the way out.

Michael sighed, as he watched his brother go. “He's always been at odds with me,” he said, addressed to no one.

Gabriel glared at the king as he also turned to leave. “He may be a cold son of a bitch, at odds with the world, but that doesn't mean he's always wrong. In this instance, Michael, I agree with him.” He clapped a supportive hand on Castiel's shoulder, apologetic, as he strode by the chair. The meeting had left Gabriel unusually stern.

Castiel, feeling no more comforted by Michael's answer, unfolded himself from the chair. He stared at Michael expectantly, eyes pleading for something more. The silence in the room was heavy, and the king said nothing further. Castiel held the book protectively across his chest, like it would somehow ease the gaping hole he felt there. He sighed and his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. “At least find someone decent to take care of my library,” he said softly. With that, he turned and rushed out of the room.

Anna finally stood from her spot next to the now vacant chair. “I hope this gets you what you want. You're throwing Castiel to a pack of wolves.” She, too, left the room with an unladylike gait.

Michael sat and turned his chair to face the window. He stared out on to the castle grounds and city beyond. “I do too,” he sighed.


End file.
